By Matt Turer — mturer@ky3.com
@MattTurer
Webb City, Mo. — If Carthage was the two-seed in Class 4 — District 12, no one told the Tigers. The ladies in blue had their way with top-seed Carl Junction Tuesday night in Webb City, trailing only 1-0 in each set on their way to a sweep and a district title under first-year head coach Tony Allmoslecher.
The Tigers leaned on seniors Kiley Tiller (8 kills, 2 blocks, .375 hit percentage), Savannah Downing (13 digs), Marley Hensley (20 assists) and Lynae Collier (5 kills, 3 blocks, .333 hit percentage) but really saw an all-out team effort in the title match, winning 25-15 in Set 1 and 25-22 in Set 2.
CLICK HERE FOR CARTHAGE VS. CARL JUNCTION PHOTO GALLERY
“We stayed in control,” Allmoslecher said. “In both games it was 18-15, and [winning the next point] seemed like the turning point.”
Except in the second game, when Carl Junction cut Carthage’s lead to 22-21, forcing a timeout.
“I knew those next couple points were going to be the difference,” Allmoslecher said. “I told the team that we knew Carl Junction wasn’t going to roll over and die. We knew they were going to keep coming at us because they’re that good of a team.”
The two sides traded points out of the timeout, but with the score 23-22, Tigers, a service error by Carl Junction and an ace by Hensley cued the Carthage celebration.
Beyond the title-clinching service ace, Hensley finished with 20 assists. Downing led Carthage with 13 digs, Collier with five kills and Tiller with eight kills.
“[Tiller] took control,” Allmoslocher said. “She was awesome. Kylie played probably her best two matches of the season. We feed off her. When she’s doing well, she can take the team and carry it.”
Carl Junction head coach Cheryl Staples pointed to Carthage’s senior depth and experience as a main factor in the night’s two big momentum swings.
“We got beat by a more experienced, senior-loaded team that has been in that position in a district championship, and they played like that,” Staples said. “We played a little scared. I told my underclassmen to take it and learn from it. Let it drive you to get where we really want to be.”
The Bulldogs beat 5-seed Joplin (25-16, 25-17) in two sets in their semifinal match.
Carthage swept Republic in the evening’s previous match, and the momentum from the high-energy final set in that game carried over into the championship against the Bulldogs.
“I thought Republic helped us out a lot because Republic would not give up,” Allmoslocher said. “They played hard and made us play hard and that helped us really stay focused for CJ.”
Carthage fell to Carl Junction in three sets back on Sept. 29, but the Tigers fought through a schedule that included Ozark, Rogersville and Strafford, and were more than prepared for the rematch.
“Our hope was to get here,” Allmoslocher said. “It’s what we were aiming at. Even when we lost to CJ earlier in the year, we knew we’d have to go through them to get past districts. They’re a good volleyball team and tonight we kept our composure and played well.”
Alexia Miller led Carl Junction with five kills, Kamryn Colburn with five digs and Sylvia Lawson led with three blocks and 11 assists.
The Bulldogs are losing three seniors in outside hitter Emilee Baker, defensive specialist Zoey Farley and outside hitter Mackenzie Stinnett.
“Great kids. Tremendous kids. We’re losing about 170 kills, some defensive power and a middle. Three kids who have played a lot of roles on the court, but also it’s what they do off the court,” Staples said.
Carl Junction has a chance to be even better in 2017 with Miller, Grace Southern (200+ kills) Olivia Lewis (103+ blocks), starting setter Sylvia Lawson and digs leader Colburn returning.
